1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clip of synthetic resin that allows panel members, such as for example the bumper and bumper beam of an automobile, to be fastened together without using nuts and bolts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are known clips of this type, such as for example the clip described by Japanese Utility Model Disclosure 61-166212, in which the clip comprises a female member and a male member, with the female member having a plurality of resilient divisions, with the end of each division pressing radially inwardly, and in which the male member has a head portion that radially outwardly flexes said divisions, a small diameter portion integrally associated to the rear of the head portion that does not radially outwardly flex the divisions, and a large diameter portion integrally associated to the rear of the small diameter portion that can engage with the ends of the divisions to thereby hold the divisions in a radially outwardly flexed state, and the small diameter portion is also provided with ribs which can be received in the dividing slits used to form the divisions in the female member.
Prior to use, such a clip is usually maintained in a provisionally assembled state, in which the male member is inserted into the female member to a point where the head portion of the male member has gone beyond the ends of the divisions and the small diameter portion is located in the cylindrical portion of the female member.
To attach a panel or other such member using the clip, the clip is inserted from the side of the panel being attached and the male member is further inserted to cause the large diameter portion of the male member to open out the divisions of the female member, thereby affixing the panel in place. The clip is arranged so that in the affixed state the ends of the divisions of the female member are held in engagement with a groove formed on the large diameter portion with the divisions outwardly flexed by the large diameter portion.
However, for the provisionally assembled state described above it is necessary that the location of the small diameter portion in the space within the divisions of the female member does not cause outward flexing of the divisions. It is for that purpose that the small diameter portion is given its small diameter, and in the prior art ribs have therefore been formed on the small diameter portion with the aim of strengthening the small diameter portion. Also, when the male member is inserted into the female member, it is positioned so that the ribs enter the slits of the cylindrical portion instead of directly abutting the divisions, which would cause the divisions to flex outward.
Thus, a drawback of the conventional arrangement is that in inserting the male member for the provisional assembly, the ribs have to be aligned so that they do not abut against the inner face of the divisions but instead enter the slits, a task which is time-consuming and requires skill to perform.